So the reality is that my life feels somewhat incomplete without a VW bus in it. My wife and I are currently saving for another one (we sold our '67 Westy 7 years ago--major regret), and are still deciding whether to pursue a split window, bay window, or Vanagon (not interested in a Eurovan).

I'd love to hear some pros and cons in terms of years, styles, air/water options, interior setups, etc., from those of you who've had lots of experience with them as climber-mobiles, and/or daily drivers.

As for me, I've had a 6-volt '64, a '67 Westy, and a '71 double-cab pickup. Loved them all in their own ways. I've rebuilt several 1600cc engines, so I know my way around them fairly well. Not so, the post '72 rigs.

I know there have been threads on VW buses already, but I'm specifically looking for input on particular recommendations.

My first car was a 69 Bus, it's still running somewhere in Louisiana last I heard about 5 years ago. Very please with my 99 Eurovan Camper, not as charismatic but a lot more reliable. Winnebago did a good job on these conversion, stretched 18", all the comforts on the road.

I'd go with the last year of the upright engine and the first year of disc brakes- I think '71. The flat engines are kind of a pain to work on, especially because you have to take off a bunch of tin pieces to get at anything.

My VW water cooled 1990 vanagon has well over 1/4 million miles on it (odometer now broke). The engine runs like a swiss watch and it has always been fast. cruises all day at 70 and can pull hills at the same. It is the simple version with the back seat that converts to a supremely comfortable bed and nothing else. the camper version just adds a lot of weight and slows performance. The last couple of years to 1992 were the fastest, most reliable engines to be put in them

So, Mooser, if yer goin' all retro does this mean you'll be buying some
Goldline, solid Hexes, and a set of Clog wireds? There have been improvements
in automotive technology from what I hear if for nothing else in survivability.
Them old buses scare the crap out of me.

I currently drive a 67 Westy and have since before time (it seems like). I love it. It is the most utilitarian vehicle I can think of. The deal with the split window bus is that it's kind of a hazardous situation on the freeways of California. They need to be driven within their limits, which is usually around 55 to 60 mph. Later models progressively get better for freeway use. Like you, I would not consider the Eurovan simply because I do not like the styling. The split window bus is all metal, inside and out, which I like for the same reason I like military vehicles. You can easily fit roof racks on the splitties and many other custom made contraptions as you desire. Mine is a disaster now as it lives on the beach and rust has invaded it throughout. The lift up rear hatch has ceased to function as the hinges have rusted off with part of the rain gutter. So the plan is to cut it open, fab some new parts, and weld em in. For me, the scars of such an operation just add character. But that's me, I love making and tinkering with mechanical stuff (insert climbing gear here) and the pre 67 VW bus fits in nicely, as does a B-25 with the local CAF wing. The Westy served as living quarters from 77-79 and now doubles as a work truck maintaining beach volleyball courts as well. It gets about 22 mpg and goes 55-65 (short periods). But you'll be ducking cars all day on the freeway. And the VW bus does not crash well. But for me, it's hard to beat.

I found my Dad's '89 pretty comfy and reasonable to drive on the freeway. He has a "Country Home" conversion instead of the Westfalia. I'm not sure how many they did but the roof pops straight up for more headroom and the sink/fridge/stove unit is all in one cabinet that is reasonably easy to remove giving you a cargo van. The bench/bed runs the width of the van instead of being squished over by a cabinet.

It seems to be relatively reliable for a VW. Probably for sale soon too as he just got a new truck and camper combo.

Of course I really love my '77 Toyota Chinook way more than any VW . . .

Karl summed it up on one of those other threads, you've really got to love the VW to put up with all the work it takes to keep them running. The older ones are easy enough to work on, those of us old enough to know who John Muir was certainly logged our time touching those parts. Having stuck my head into the back of a classic van maybe 5 to 10 years ago to consult with the occupants who had broken down at the Big Oak Flats entrance to Yosemite, I took note of the fact that I could no longer focus at that range, and my hearing wasn't as good as it used to be... both important for diagnosing and repairing that stuff.

I don't know what the parts situation is, but I'm sure there are some people somewhere in the world who keep manufacturing what you need.

My hard decision was to get rid of my Westafalia, the third in a long line of buses, simply because it became the center of every adventure I was having, and that wasn't my point in having it. So your rationale for getting one is an individual trip, we, or at least I, can't help you there.

Check out the extensive web presence of those people for whom the bus is the center of their adventure.